The Bansfield Benefice is the collective name for the Parishes of Cowlinge, Denston, Lidgate, Ousden, Stansfield, Stradishall and Wickhambrook in the Diocese of St Edmundbury and Ipswich, Suffolk, United Kingdom.

Saturday, November 1, 2014

Rector's View - November 2014

Dear friends,

I'm blessed to have recently returned from a Cursillo Pilgrimage amongst the ruins at Leiston Abbey near the East Suffolk coast. Cursillo is a renewal ministry for Lay people seeking knowledge and love of God through Christian discipleship. This blessing begins with a short three day course (Cursillo means 'short course') in community living and shared worship.

Our worship amongst the ruins of Leiston Abbey spoke powerfully of our shared inheritance of faith across generations past and generations to come. The ruins themselves still speak powerfully of God's presence in people's lives, their solid foundation directing our gaze upward to behold, by day the wonders of God's own vault of the sky (we rejoiced to see the sign of God's promise and sign of Cursillo – the rainbow), and by night the wonder of the stars, both speaking of that truth of Christian wisdom that whatever darkness blights our lives, light still shines.

As our days darken toward midwinter this year, there seem dark days indeed ahead through climate change, war and epidemic. By our November remembrances we remind ourselves of the great challenges faced and overcome by previous generations, who so valiantly laid for us foundations of peace social justice and accountability amongst the families of the nations. By their example we will find strength and resolve in this generation to proclaim however dark our days, the light of future hope still shines undiminished.

May God's bright Son, shine ever brighter in our lives, a hope expressed in the Cursillo cry of encouragement, De Colores!